An ill-advised takeover of local transportation authorities

By Times Wire

March 29, 2011

Tallahassee is gearing up to deliver another blow to the Tampa Bay area's transportation system.

Tallahassee is gearing up to deliver another blow to the Tampa
Bay area's transportation system. Just weeks after Gov. Rick Scott
rejected federal money for high-speed rail between Tampa and
Orlando, the Senate's proposed budget calls for the state to gobble
up the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority. This grab for money
and power could cost taxpayers dearly and delay much-needed road
projects throughout the bay area.

The Senate would roll three local expressway authorities - those
in Tampa, Orange County and in the Panhandle - into the Florida
Turnpike Enterprise, an arm of the state that runs toll roads for
the Department of Transportation. The Turnpike Enterprise says the
consolidation could save $24 million a year by reducing
administrative costs and state subsidies to the local agencies. But
the state acknowledges that its estimate is a "quick analysis"; it
did not consider the agencies' assets or the modest nontoll revenue
they generate such as investment income and other fees. The state
did not even look at salaries, expenses or outstanding contracts to
get a real picture of the budget. Tampa officials also say the
state could end up paying millions of dollars more by refinancing
the debt it assumes from local authorities.

Legislators should not rush a decision based on such a cursory
look at the facts. The legislation calls for doing away with local
discounts for commuters who use the SunPass electronic debit
sticker. For everyday commuters who rely on the Lee Roy Selmon
Crosstown Expressway, the price of a one-way trip from Brandon to
South Tampa would jump to $3 from $2.50. The discount has been a
good enrollment vehicle for SunPass, and losing it could cause
motorists to opt for the pay-by-mail charge, which could increase
overhead costs. While the legislation includes language aimed at
keeping dollars raised locally in their communities, it leaves a
door open for the state to shift money around - and with much less
public scrutiny.

The real loss would be in the bay area's ability to prioritize
major transportation projects. Tampa's Expressway Authority not
only operates the Crosstown, a principal east-west corridor. It
also played a major role in securing the I-4 connector, which will
serve Tampa's port and its major highways. The authority also has
spent years working on a connector in the Gandy area that would
speed a hurricane evacuation route from Pinellas County. Having an
agency that is locally governed and focused on local projects of
statewide importance serves the community well. The Legislature
should leave it alone.